core companion guide - cwtraining.oucpm.org

Updated 10/1/2021 1

Updated 10/1/2021 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CORE COMPANION GUIDE OVERVIEW ...................................................................................................................... 3

CORE COMPETENCIES ............................................................................................................................................. 18

COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK ............................................................................................................................... 18

CORE COMPETENCIES ......................................................................................................................................... 19

PRE-CORE REQUIREMENTS ..................................................................................................................................... 21

ON THE JOB TRAINING (OJT) ................................................................................................................................... 23

SAMPLE CORE SCHEDULE: .................................................................................................................................. 24

MENTORS ................................................................................................................................................................ 26

SIMULATION ............................................................................................................................................................ 27

MODULE 1: PREPARING FOR CHILD WELFARE WORK ............................................................................................ 29

MODULE 1 LEARNING OBJECTIVES ..................................................................................................................... 30

MODULE 2: ENGAGING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ................................................................................................. 32


MODULE 3: INTERVIEWING FOR SAFETY, PERMANENCY, AND WELL-BEING ......................................................... 34


MODULE 4: ASSESSMENT, CASE PLANNING, AND DECISION MAKING ................................................................... 36


MODULE 5: CHILD WELFARE AND THE LEGAL SYSTEM ........................................................................................... 39


KIDS ......................................................................................................................................................................... 42

KIDS LEARNING OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................................................... 43

MODULE 6: PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER .................................................................................................................. 44

POST CORE REQUIRED LEVELS COURSES ................................................................................................................. 48

CERTIFICATION ........................................................................................................................................................ 49

PHASE 3: .................................................................................................................................................................. 50

Coaching Plan Example for “Not Yet Ready” ...................................................................................................... 51

Coaching Plan Example #2 (Phase 2) .................................................................................................................. 53

Coaching Plan Example #3 (Phase 3) .................................................................................................................. 53

REINSTATEMENTS ................................................................................................................................................... 54

Training Exception Types .................................................................................................................................... 54

Reinstated Employee by Definition .................................................................................................................... 55

Required Steps to Request a Training Exception: ............................................................................................... 55

What the Training Exception Allows ................................................................................................................... 56

Considerations for Training Exception and Caseload Assignment ...................................................................... 57

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CORE COMPANION GUIDE OVERVIEW

This guide is intended to be reviewed by the supervisor and specialist together. It is designed

to provide information about what to expect in CORE, including Pre-CORE and OJT, each CORE

Module, recommendations for scheduling the specialist’s time, and Post CORE Required Levels.

Companion Guides. Companion Guides are intended to be used as a means of providing an

overview of training to the supervisors including learning objectives, training information, and

guidance for any Transfer Of Learning (TOL) of the material to the field.

Companion Guide Questions. Questions in the guide are meant to help the specialist reflect on their learning, aide the supervisor in identifying any learning or developmental needs and to continue encouragement of the specialists’ critical thinking. Examples include:

What did you learn that was new to you?

What additional support do you need to understand?

How will you incorporate this learning/skill into your practice?

What child/family comes to mind when you think about applying this information/skill?

What are challenges to using these skills?

What are the solutions to these challenges?

What are ways you can practice new skills?

How can I support you in implementing this into your routine practice?

Other supports for training and development include: On the Job Training (OJT) and Job Aids

On the Job Training Workbooks. There is an OJT guide for supervisors to help with

organization of the OJT activities and experiences. Additionally, there is an OJT workbook for

the specialist to use to answer questions, notate observations, and collect other information

that they will discuss with their supervisor.

Similarly, the supervisors will have an OJT workbook. The supervisor OJT workbook is designed

to provide the supervisors with the activities the specialists will be completing and questions

the specialists will be answering throughout their OJT activities. One of the most important

functions of the OJT for supervisors Workbook is to help the supervisors schedule OJT activities

and to encourage discussion and debrief following completion of those activities.

The supervisor is required to review OJT activities with their assigned specialist(s) to aide in the

transfer of learning (TOL), answer any questions, help clarify any policies/procedures, and to

generally support the ongoing development of the specialist(s).

Job Aids. Job Aids are intended to be used as a reference material or an aid for the specialists

following training. For example, a reference handout on Developmental Milestones is

something the specialist could use following training as a way to help recall information at a

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later time. Job Aids may be included in the online training resources section, as well as, during

the in person training (seminars).

The Table of Contents is available so that specialists and/or supervisors can easily locate

sections they may need to review prior to, or following Modules.

A CORE flow chart is available for a quick reference to how the Modules, including the online,

classroom, OJT, and Simulation components work together.

Each Module section includes a summary of the content, the learning objectives, and a

breakdown of the estimated time needed to complete the online required learning, in addition

to the class time necessary.

There are five additional sections:

KIDS – discusses KIDS training specific to CORE

Simulation – details the simulated experiences the specialist will complete

OJT – provides summaries of on the job training (OJT) requirements, in addition to

coaching questions the supervisor may use with the specialist

Certification – outlines the new Certification Process

Reinstatements – explains the process reinstated employees will follow, related to

CORE and Certification

Post CORE Required Level trainings – outlines the classes specialists must complete

prior to being eligible for a caseload

A Message About Technology and Accessing the LMS and Zoom Virtual Training

It is critical that you follow the instructions specific to accessing the LMS system, where Pre-

CORE activities, KIDS training, and the OJT Activities/checklist are located. The online training

Modules contain large video links that will not load properly if you do not follow these

instructions, resulting in loss of connection, inability to review the video, and other barriers to

completing the required training.

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Child Welfare Training Center 1200 West Rock Creek, Suite D

Norman, Oklahoma 73069

The Mission of the Child Welfare Training Section is to support and enhance the OKDHS Child Welfare workforce through training, mentoring and educational opportunities, to improve the safety, permanency and well-being outcomes for children and families involved in the Oklahoma Child Welfare system.

How to be more successful teleworking

Employees are demonstrating teleworking can be done effectively and most want to work part of their

time remotely. Employers who can embrace telework can recruit and retain employees. Teleworking has

unique challenges.

Objectives:

1) How to become an effective employee when teleworking

2) Strategies for leading effective virtual meetings

3) How to manage and engage telework employees

What employees need to know about the agency’s expectations:

The agency utilizes a telework agreement, which covers expectations for when employees are

allowed to telework remotely with options including full time, a few days per week and/or PRN

(as needed). The agreement is created between the employee and their first level supervisor

Core business hours are covered regarding when employees are to be online or available i.e. 8-

5; 9-3 with availability for flexibility ( this allow other employees to know when you are available

to work together and when everyone is available and can be contacted)

How to request equipment and supplies: This is addressed through the telework agreement

along with security guidance

What are the expectations for going into the office, how do employees sign up for hoteling

office space, under what expectations is in office required i.e. when there are specific projects

or face to face interactions that require in-office i.e. you may telework and you may have

required meetings in office

How does teleworking affect leave for vacation, sick leave? While teleworking you still take

time away from work. How to take time away from work for PTO and sick leave and what

necessitates leave outside of PTO and sick leave i.e. more than 3-4 hours away and not available

to work using person leave i.e. when running errands, picking up children etc.

How does teleworking work affect work relationships? In the office it is easy to stop by and

interact with peers, telework may reduce this time and you may not see all of your peers

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outside of group meetings. You likely with hoteling will interact with peers outside of your group

which is a positive outcome

How does teleworking affect career progression? For some employees they may fear out of

mind and out of site as others may receive opportunities for projects etc. Employees need to

continue to develop relationships and communicate you are wanting to take on new projects

Establish a work space separate from your personal space/time:

Your work space is where you will work consistently i.e. versus moving around to different spaces.

Choose the best place where you can be free of or reduce distractions/disruptions. For example if you

have a spare room, you can shut the door. You may select a space that is designated just for work i.e. a

part of a room or a kitchen table which is set up for work. This space is where you specifically go for

work and then step away when work is complete and you don’t return that day. Working from your

couch, bed etc. confuses your work space with your relaxations space.

Set up with all the tools/equipment needed. Figure out what allows you to work best, music, sunlight,

silence

Have the proper resources and technology; reliable internet which may need to have increased speed

especially if others will be using internet, laptop, teams, etc., printer, scanner, pdf and electronic

signature are all managed by the agency

Know who to contact to resolve issues: have the contacts for IT, supervisor, HR etc. prepare for

technical challenges with a backup plan

Get up each day and get ready for work. For example shower and go through your normal routine as if

you are going into the office for work. Dress for work, choose comfortable and professional clothing.

Avoid clothes not considered professional (i.e. avoid pajamas, choose jeans and an appropriate work

top). The key is to put into your mind it is time to work and keep it separate from your home life and a

more relaxed mode. Remember dress protocol for remote work when interacting virtually with peers

and other professionals.

Keep regular hours: Based on when your set work times are set, this time is set aside to focus on work.

Set a consistent time to start and end for our work day and do not work all day. You can be flexible

when you need to start earlier or later, however on most days keep the same hours.

Schedule time for yourself: Set aside time for lunch, to step away from work to take a walk and stick to

your personal time.

Separate work and personal time: Keep work space separate from areas where you relax at home.

Schedule /communicate when you will be available for work, set boundaries and honor the schedule the

best you can. Clothes can impact how we feel, so change into relaxing clothes, change the lighting in the

house etc. to assist in transitioning to personal time

Define when the day ends and stick to it. If you need to check e-mails after your work hours set aside a

time of the day and length of time to review and stick to it consistently. Outside of the planned

timeframe push away thoughts about work. Remind yourself you have set aside time to think about and

complete work.

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At the end of the day step away and don’t go back. If possible leave everything out as you would in an

office, however straighten up the space, close laptop etc. Create a ritual, something symbolic marking

the end of the day for example, change from work clothes to relaxing clothes, announce to whoever is

home you have finished your work and you are ‘home”, turn on your TV or play music, take the dog for a

walk, get mail from the mail box . All of these are designed to symbolically communicate, the work day is

over and it is time to transition to your personal time.

Ironically work stress may be lessened while at work because we are busy. Telework may reduce the

time to reflect/process the day which occurred during a commute home where you can reflect and

process and come to a resolution to the challenges of the day.

When working from home, you may lack the transitional time from work and reflecting on the day to

focus on yourself and your family for example. By no longer having this time to decompress and process

built into your day, it remains with you. Pay attention to if you are ruminating about work which tends

to increase distress without any resolution. You can keep yourself in a constant state of distress and

negative emotions. This may be an indicator you need some time to respond to your thoughts and

feelings related to work experiences.

How do you create a psychological break between work and home life? How do you fully connect with

others and in your relationships and rejuvenate yourself?

How you change your rumination is to shift your thinking to a problem solving activity. For example,

ruminating about having too much work to complete in a day can be reframed to a thought of as how do

I prioritize tasks and manage my work schedule? Your solution is to focus on what needs to be moved

around or addressed later in your schedule especially those which are stressful to locate the time to

complete?

Plan workflow: set priorities for the day, determine how long for each priority and what to do with extra

time. Complete highest priority items first, do hardest tasks when you have the most energy, thus it may

be better to start early and knockout a task. Research tells us each interruption i.e. checking an e-mail,

responding to texts, checking Facebook results in a need of 25 minutes to cognitively reorient to where

they were. It takes additional cognitive energy to recall where you were on a document and to get your

train of thought back. When possible set aside time for focusing uninterrupted when you need to

engage in deep thinking or complete

Break up day: set break times in your schedule to eat, take a walk etc. vs working all day. You may be

more productive by taking breaks and refreshing yourself. You are attempting to condition your brain to

focus on tasks during work mode and to relax during breaks. You may elect to use the time back from

breaks to check and respond to e-mails prior to staring another task.

Maintain connections to others:

Communicate and check in regularly (not just for supervisors, employees also need to stay connected).

Schedule weekly/monthly connections to touch base (lunch etc.) Before meetings start with casual

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break room conversations before work i.e. updates on your children, Netflix binges, stay in the loop with

peers and coworkers; keep up on a personal level

Encourage face to face interactions: resist always using e-mail to communicate; when possible use

TEAMS with the camera one, which is also face to face which keeps people connected. Set up social

gatherings to celebrate work achievements over lunch or after hours i.e. happy hour, be creative to stay

connected.

Conducting Video Conference effectively (See Guidelines for Receiving Professional Training

With teleworking and less daily interactions in offices, more meetings may be needed. While the process

for a successful in-person meeting continue to apply it is valuable to pay attention to areas which may

require more attention

1) Establish purpose of the meeting:

a) Sharing of information

Working collaboratively

Need to gauge response to something- requires video on so you can see them

Facilitate a presentation

b) Face to face:

Establish a relationship

Increase camaraderie

2) Select the technology, only difference from in person is choosing the best technology

Do you need to share a screen to show a document or demonstrate technology or walk step

by step process?

Listening only where everyone needs to be muted i.e. background noise

Do you need for everyone to see each other i.e. TEAMS?

3) Decide who really needs to attend: consider what each person brings to the meeting i.e. to share

information, listen scribe for others, provide input, decision maker.

4) Send an agenda with outlines and stick to timeframes

Send the agenda ahead of meeting at least 1 day- topics to cover, anticipated time to cover,

provide any documents

Set expectations for the meeting, start with what they will be expected to do an how

communication will work i.e. raise a hand, chat features

Leader keeps the conversation on track and moving to ensure all items are covered

5) Meeting etiquette (see Guidelines for Receiving Distance Professional training)

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all participants, log in early to ensure connectivity, leader should be on first and greet people as they

join, if leading the group send out the agenda at least 1 day in advance; come prepared by having

reviewed the agenda or with required information requested, watch the speaker vs your phone or

other screens, focus on meeting vs other tasks, turn off notifications, silence your phone, use a

quiet, low distraction space, when possible assign someone at home to manage children and pet

needs as needed

6) Keep participants engaged: start off with or allow time for casual conversation at the start of a

meeting, consider introductions when new people are in the group, focus on their name, role in the

meeting i.e. presenter, not taker etc. or just new participants

7) Follow-up after meeting: same as in person: establish the deliverables, next steps, who is

responsible for each deliverable, due date, set next meeting and check in with those assigned a

deliverable after the meeting.

The key to a virtual meeting is to consider what type of technology best fits the need.

Supervisors

Managing/Engaging remote employees:

A) Increase communication:

Know when to use e-mails/texts vs phone or TEAMS; Remote work may increase feeling out of

the loop, so share virtual information; schedule regular check in’s to keep employees feeling

hopeful, weekly contact is a best practice

B) Demonstrate empathy/care/concern: remote work may increase emotional disconnection leading to

isolation/frustration so increase emotional support

Check-in so employees know you and the agency are available; share resources for emotional

well-being i.e. EAP or other appropriate resources

C) As a supervisor stay organized: keep connected to what employees are working on and to ensure no

one is overlooked (i.e. work/emotional); evaluate and discuss performance issues timely

D) Be consistent: attend meetings as scheduled and avoid rescheduling; follow through on commitment

and utilize the full time allocated for the meeting. This may be the only meeting some employees can

expect to have time from their supervisors

E) Allow for informality: understand, telework means disruption due to pets, children, FedEx deliveries,

others who are working at home etc. Address if these are decreasing productivity; you may learn more

about employees outside of work and understand them more fully and increase a connection

F) Stay positive:

This allows employees to feel more confident allowing them to better focus on work.

Keep employees current on the agency/division plans and challenges and what is being done to

solve.

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Listen to employees: be receptive to employee challenges; occasionally check with them, weekly

is best practice, take a coaching mindset to allow employees to find their own solutions

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Accessing the LMS

Step 1. Do NOT attempt to log in while accessing your desktop via VPN or remotely. You will

need to make sure that you are not in Gemini, or otherwise remotely connected to your

desktop. This means that when you open up your laptop, you should see the following or

something similar.

Notice, you don’t have KIDS or Outlook anywhere on the screen. This screen looks different

from your “home screen” when you are actually using your desktop or remotely connected to

your desktop. You see the icon for Pulse Connect, which is how you connect to your desktop

remotely. You only need to click on the Google Chrome Icon (indicated by the yellow arrow

above) in order to appropriately access the LMS and/or virtual training.

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If you see this screen, you are connected remotely and need to close this out!!! You will know

this because you have access to Outlook and to KIDS.

Step 2. Click on your Google Chrome icon. It is imperative that you use Chrome as your web

browser, as it is most compatible with the functions within the LMS.

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Step 3. In the tool bar, type in the following: https://www.okdhslearning.org/

This will take you to the LMS Log In Page, as seen below.

Step 4. Enter your u# and password and log in. If you have trouble logging in, please follow the

instructions that are listed on the right hand part of the page (circled in red below).

Please note, if you are having trouble accessing the LMS, you will need to follow the instructions

circled here. Contacting the DHS Help Desk is not the same as contacting the LMS Help Desk.

https://www.okdhslearning.org/

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Step 5: You will be taken to your “home page” where you will see your “dashboard”, circled in yellow

below. This will contain the list of courses that have been assigned to you and should include: Pre-

CORE, KIDS, and OJT. If you are unable to see any courses listed here, you can try to locate them in your

“My Learning” section, located at the bottom left of the page (indicated by the purple arrow).

If you are unable to see any courses listed here or in the My Learning section, you can click on the Find

Courses and open the drop down menu. Scroll to Child Welfare and click to open.

You will then need to type in the course name. For Pre-CORE, the course name is Pre-CORE V.2. For

KIDS, the course is titled KIDS, and for OJT, the course is titled OJT V.2.

Step 6. Click on the course you want to open and follow the instructions to begin.

Please note, you will follow these same instructions to access your online learning Modules. If you do

not see CORE on your dashboard or in your “My Learning”, you can follow the steps to find courses and

type in CORE. The online Modules are provided to you at specific dates, so if you do not see the course

or are unable to access the course, please check your CORE schedule. If you have remaining questions,

please email [email protected] and ask for help.

mailto:[email protected]

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Accessing Zoom Meetings (Virtual Training)

Step 1. Do NOT attempt to log in while accessing your desktop via VPN or remotely. You need

to make sure that you are not in Gemini, or otherwise remotely connected to your desktop.

This means that when you open up your laptop, you should see the following or something

similar.

If you see this instead, you are remoting into your desktop and you will not be able to

participate in the virtual training appropriately.

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Step 2. Click on your Google Chrome icon. It is imperative that you use Chrome as your web

browser, as it is most compatible with the functions within the LMS. Refer to step 3 in previous

instructions.

Step 3. The easiest way to access the Virtual Meeting is to go through the LMS. You can do this

by following steps to access the LMS. Refer to Steps 4 and 5 of previous instructions.

Step 4. Once you are logged into the LMS, go to the Module you are currently training in and

click on the Seminar. This should take you immediately to the Zoom Link.

Step 5. Be sure to write down the MEETING PASSWORD so that you can attend.

Step 6. You will need to make sure that your camera is on and that your microphone works.

You may want to mute yourself when you enter the meeting, if you aren’t automatically muted.

You can access your controls to sound and video camera in the lower left corner of your screen.

You may have to hover there for them to be seen. They are circled in yellow on the screen

shot.

Step 7. You may also need to change your name, as you may be listed by your U#. You can do

this by clicking on the participants’ icon (indicated by green arrow).

Step 8. Once open, you will find your name and hover on it until you see the blue bubble that

says More. Click on that and you should see the option to Rename.

Step 9. You will need to open up the Chat icon as well so that you can answer questions in the

chat and participate by using other Zoom features located there.

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If you have any questions about the Zoom features, please be sure to email the coordinator

ahead of your scheduled training so they may assist you prior to the training start time.

Virtual Training Expectations and Requirements

You are expected to have your camera during the entirety of the virtual training. If you need to

attend to your child, or another related concern, you can turn off your camera while doing so.

Please make sure that when you return, your camera is turned back on for the duration of

training.

Because training policy states that you can miss no more than 30 minutes of any training, if

your camera remains off for 30 minutes or longer, you may be counted as absent and may

have to repeat the Module, which could mean moving to another CORE, delaying your ability to

complete and receive a caseload.

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CORE COMPETENCIES

COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK The competency framework began with a statewide survey of Child Welfare Services staff and 20 focus groups comprised of various child welfare stakeholders across the state to inquire about what knowledge, skills, and abilities were necessary for a specialist completing CORE. This was followed by an extensive search of several states’ child welfare specialist training programs, conducted by the OU Child Welfare Training Collaborative. This included interviews, review of materials and websites, and relevant literature on child welfare training.

A multidimensional approach was used to define each Child Welfare specialist competency. Four dimensions of competency measurement were used: knowledge, values, skills and cognitive and affective processes (see Figure 1).

Multidimensional Approach to CWS Competency

Figure 1: Multidimensional Approach to CWS Competency

Ten foundational competencies for all Child Welfare specialists were identified and are reflected in Table 3 with a complete outline including Practice Behaviors located in Appendix A. Competencies translate skills, knowledge, and values into practice behaviors which demonstrate the ability to perform a particular role at a competent level. A competency-based approach ensures that a person understands the entire process (or how to use a set of skills, knowledge, etc. to do a job well). A competency-based curriculum identifies what specialists must be able to know and do for practice and how supervisors can support them.

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CORE COMPETENCIES

CHILD WELFARE SPECIALIST CORE COMPETENCIES

I. Identifies as a child welfare specialist and understands the roles and responsibilities.

II. Understands the scope of child welfare services in Oklahoma, and how federal law and regulations, Oklahoma Statutes, DHS policy and Instructions to Staff all guide child welfare practice.

III. Understands the importance of and can employ trauma informed and developmentally sensitive practices.

IV. Exhibits a basic understanding of the juvenile court system and how it works.

V. Demonstrates knowledge in the identification and causes of child abuse and neglect.

VI. Demonstrates the ability to assess safety throughout the life of the case, make safety determinations, and develop and implement appropriate safety plans with families when warranted.

VII. Demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and self-awareness to engage and assess all family types in a manner that is positive, strengths-based, and solution focused.

VIII. Demonstrates knowledge, skill, and self-awareness to engage, assess, and provide effective service to adults, children, and families from diverse cultures, ethnicities, and backgrounds.

IX. Understands the urgency, the underlying philosophy, and the importance of stability, permanence, and well-being for children/youth.

X. Exhibits awareness of potential stress factors associated with child welfare practice in one’s self, in the agency and in workplace activities, and is able to develop self-care and other strategies to prevent emotional distress and burnout.

For a complete list of the associated practice behaviors under each competency, please see the

Child Welfare Training Website at: https://cwtraining.oucpm.org/

https://cwtraining.oucpm.org/

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CORE FLOW CHART

While there is a week “dedicated” to OJT, it is not intended for all OJT items to be completed

during only that week, but rather allows for any OJT activities still outstanding to be

completed. OJT is expected to be completed as specialists move through CORE. The schedule

is broken down into Online/OJT dates and Classroom Dates. The Online/OJT dates provide

the date for when the online Module becomes available to the specialist to begin. The

expectation is that the online Module training will be completed prior to any OJT activity

completion, as the information presented is pertinent for the next classroom session and if

online training is not completed, the specialist is ineligible to attend the classroom training.

The remaining dates allotted are to be used for OJT activities needing to be completed. If

there is an OJT activity taking place at the time a specialist would normally be completing

online training (of a nature they would not otherwise be able to observe prior to completing

CORE), it is fine to complete the OJT activity. The specialist would need to ensure the online

training is done in a timely manner, by the date the online course “closes” (last date on the

Module’s Online/OJT schedule).

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PRE-CORE REQUIREMENTS

Pre-CORE Activity Table Requirements by Program

Pre-CORE Activities (15 Activities) Hotline CPS FCS PP Foster Care

Adoption

*1 Review CORE Companion Guide Recommended to review together supervisor responsibilities:

Specialist understands the components of CORE (Pre-CORE, OJT, Online, Classroom, Provisional Certification, etc.)

Specialist has access to necessary equipment (lap top, computer, LMS, etc.)

X X X X X X

*2 Mentor Assignment Supervisor Responsibilities:

Assign Mentor in the same Program Area or Track as the specialist

If COMP- may want to assign 2 Mentors

X X X X X X

*3 Access and ability to log into the LMS Supervisor Responsibilities:

Make sure your specialist can log into the LMS and knows where to find their course work

X X X X X X

*4 Review of LMS User’s How To on LMS page X X X X X X

*5 Plan out Pre-CORE, OJT, and KIDS online training Supervisor Responsibilities:

Make sure specialist has access to all 3 courses within the LMS

Scheduling Pre-CORE and OJT activities in advance and paying attention to time required to complete online course related work, especially once CORE Modules begin

It is the supervisor’s responsibility to schedule and plan Pre-CORE and OJT activities with the specialist. The specialist is not responsible for coordinating, scheduling, or asking their peers or mentor to assist in completion of these activities.

X X X X X X

*6 Expectations of Professional Behavior Supervisor Responsibilities:

Schedule time so that DD/FM, Mentor, specialist and supervisor can review the form, discuss it, answer any questions and sign

X X X X X X

*7 Implicit Bias Assessment

See OJT Guide for details https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html

X X X X X X

https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html

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Pre-CORE Activities Hotline CPS FCS PP Foster Care

Adoption

*8 Shadow/Observe a Home Visit Supervisor responsibilities:

Schedule the specialist to shadow a peer or mentor

Supervisors have discretion as to what type of home visit is shadowed- it is recommend that it represent daily job responsibilities the specialist will be routinely doing

X X X X X X

*9 Complete Maltreatment In Care (MIC) online training

X X X X X X

*10 Complete Maltreatment in Care 2 online training

N/A N/A N/A X X X

11 Review of the Practice Model

See CORE Companion Guide for details

X X X X X X

12 Complete two policy searches online and answer questions on those policies:

i. Confidentiality ii. HIV Policy

X X X X X X

13 Complete HIV Online Course X X X X X X

14 Complete Child Welfare Funding Course- in the LMS

X X X X X X

15 Learning Styles & Coaching/Supervision Styles Discussion

X X X X X X

16 Ensure specialist can log into KIDS

See CORE Companion Guide for details

X X X X X X

17 Shadow/Observe 10 Day Staffing Required to occur prior to Module 5

N/A N/A N/A X X X

18 Shadow/Observe a Criteria Staffing Required to occur prior to Module 5

N/A N/A N/A X X X

19 Complete Pre-CORE checklist within the LMS as activities are completed Supervisor responsibilities:

Ensure specialist is verifying in LMS, as they complete the activities

supervisor to verify in LMS

X X X X X X

*Activities marked with an asterisk are bold and indicate required activities prior to attending Module 1.

Updated 10/1/2021 23

Recommendation: We highly encourage supervisors to meet with their new specialist(s)

at least weekly, at which time you will review the specialist’s progress as it relates to Pre-

CORE activities, OJT activities, KIDS online training, and any associated documents. This is a

critical time to review the specialist’s understanding, check for appropriate meaning and

context, and assess any potential concerns or areas you may want to monitor. This also

provides a natural time to verify completion of the completed activities within the LMS.

Note: Pre-CORE activities will be assigned to both the specialist and the supervisor in

order for these items to be verified as completed by both.

Supervisors, please feel free to use any of the Companion Guide Question examples found

on page 3 of this Companion Guide to facilitate learning discussions/reviews with your

specialist(s) following online learning, classroom learning, and OJT activities.

Hotline Hotline CPS FCS Perm Planning

Foster Care

Adoption

KIDS Online Training specialists need to begin working on KIDS Modules 1-3

X X X X X X

ON THE JOB TRAINING (OJT)

On the Job Training is perhaps the most critical aspect of any training or professional skill

development and supervisors are the most vital asset to any training team. It is when the

specialist is back in the office and can “debrief” with their supervisor that context and meaning

really begin to shape.

In CORE, we aim to be sensitive to the demands on supervisors and to be sensitive to access for

those who may be located in rural areas. In response to this, OJT activities were created that

are flexible and can happen at any time prior to attending Module 6: Putting It All Together.

There are recommendations for when OJT activities are best completed; however, it is more

about the specialist experiencing the activity, rather than when they experience the activity. Of

Updated 10/1/2021 24

course, context is helpful and if the recommendations can be followed, we think the results will

be improved, but it is not a requirement.

An OJT workbook is provided to all specialists that will outline activities to complete, as well as

space in the workbook to answer questions, take notes, and complete observations.

An OJT workbook is also provided to all supervisors to provide information as to the

supervisor’s responsibilities related to any OJT activities (i.e. scheduling time for the specialist

to review a case related meeting, engaging in discussions regarding OJT and/or other learning,

etc.).

Supervisors will need to meet with their specialist(s) following each completed activity in order to review the activities, discuss the activities, and to help the specialist(s) with critically thinking about application of any activities to their learning

and/or daily job functions.

Additionally, the specialist and the supervisor will need to demonstrate OJT activity completion via the LMS. Specialists and supervisors will receive instructions about how to complete these activities within the LMS.

*Please remember all OJT activities are required to be completed and submitted to the Training

Unit prior to attending Module 6.

SAMPLE CORE SCHEDULE: CORE 430 – NORMAN – OU CW Training Annex Start Date: July 1, 2021 End Date: September 23, 2021

Module Instruction Dates Days LocationOrientation CORE Orientation June 28 M Zoom

Module 1 Online/OJT July 1-9 R-F, M-F LMS

Module 1 Classroom July 12-14 M-W Schooner Rm

Module 2 Online/OJT July 15-20 R-F, M-T LMS

Module 2 Classroom July 21-22 W-R Schooner Rm

Module 2 SIM Practice July 23 F Zoom

Module 3 Online/OJT July 26-30 M-F LMS

Module 3 Classroom August 2-5, 6 SIM M-F Schooner Rm

Module 4 Online/OJT August 9-13 M-F LMS

Module 4 Classroom August 16-18 M-W Schooner Rm

OJT Remaining Activities August 19-Sept 1 R-F, M-F, M-W Field

KIDS Virtual Sandbox August 26 R Zoom

Module 5 Online/OJT August 19-Sept 1 R-F, M-F, M-W LMS

Module 5 Mock Court September 3 F Moore Courthouse

Module 6 Provisional Certification – SIM September 7-8 T-W Champions Rm

Module 6 Provisional Certification – AOCS & KIDS

September 9 R Zoom

Post-Core Classroom Levels September 20-23 M-R Training Center

Updated 10/1/2021 25

You can see in the example above that Module

1 has 8 days to be completed. The time

provided crosses over a weekend and a holiday, so it’s closer to 5 days to complete both Online

and OJT activities. The anticipated online completion time is 2-3 hours, which leaves 4.5 days

to complete OJT activities. There is one OJT activity that is to be completed following the

Module 1 Classroom training, so that will be completed during the Online/OJT dates for Module

2.

Please consult module information within this guide for breakdowns of approximated times to

complete each online training module.

When scheduling OJT activities, please look closely at the dates and work around any holidays

and/or weekends, as there is not an expectation that specialists are working outside of their

typical working hours in order to complete training.

Due the amount of online training and the fact that online modules must be completed prior to

attending classroom/virtual training, we encourage prioritizing online training. This allows for

the specialist to manage completion of the online learning in the timeframe provided, and

balance the rest of their day to work on OJT activities and/or KIDS online training.

(Seat times reminder: Module 1= 1.5-2 hours, Module 2= 3.5 hours, Module 3= 1.5-2 hours, Module 4=

11 hours, and Module 5= 3-5 hours)

Where this timeframe appears to change is with Module 4, with an approximate seat time of

11 hours. We provided 4 business days to complete this online training, which again, allows

for the specialist to take breaks in the online learning. The additional days are intended for

time to complete any outstanding OJT activities.

There are many ways to schedule a specialist’s time, especially as the OJT activities center

around shadowing of home visits, investigations, meetings, and other activities that may or may

not be scheduled ahead of time. An example of how a supervisor might schedule their

specialist’s time to support both online learning and OJT activities is provided below:

Using the sample schedule above, upon enrolling a specialist for Module 1, a supervisor might

do the following:

Monday July 1: 8am-10am - supervisor meets with the specialist to review the CORE

companion guide, review expectations of CORE, including the Pre-CORE activities (if not

previously done) and OJT.

Also Included in this 2 hour meeting: supervisor schedules home shadowing (Module 1 OJT

Activity 2 opportunities and meeting shadowing (Module 1 OJT Activity 3) opportunities for

specialist to attend on the 24th, 25th, and afternoon of the 26th, 27th, and/or the 28th) and shares

those dates and times with the specialist.

Note: The supervisor can look through the OJT activities and identify if any other types of

activities are available to occur in these time frames. It is not restricted to Module 1 only.

Updated 10/1/2021 26

Monday, July 1 remainder of the day: have the specialist complete any pending review of

documents previously discussed, log into the LMS, complete any pending Pre-CORE activities, or

other activities prior to attending CORE

Tuesday July 2: 8am-9am: Help the specialist become familiar with how to access the case

they will mining in later Modules, answer any questions, etc.

Tuesday July 2: 9am-10:00: have the specialist complete their Implicit Bias test (Pre-CORE

activity) if they haven’t yet done so.

Tuesday July 2: 10am-Noon: attend any meetings or home visits. If no home visits or

meetings are scheduled, have the specialist begin working on their Module 1 OJT Activity 4-

interviewing peers in the office on self-care.

Tuesday afternoon: attend any meetings or home visits available. If no home visits or

meetings are scheduled, have the specialist begin their KIDS online training.

Wednesday July 3: 8am-10am: Log into LMS and indicate any OJT activities that have been

completed so far and complete Module 1 Online training.

Wednesday July 3: (following the completion of online training): time permitted, meet with the

specialist to review any questions about the online learning (remember, we are introducing

them to policy and legislation, which can be confusing), and schedule time following their

Module 1 seminar (in person training) to follow up with their classroom learning.

Supervisors: Log into the LMS and approve any OJT activities completed thus far.

Wednesday remainder of the day: resume KIDS online training, resolve any pending activities

from Module 1 if possible.

MENTORS

Why is it Important to Assign a Mentor? The quality of learning a specialist receives from Pre-

CORE, OJT, and Post-CORE activities will depend greatly on the commitment of the mentor. The

activities are not simply “busy work” but instead are designed to effectively prepare the specialist

for the content they will be introduced to through training. The mentor and supervisor effectively

become trainers of the specialist before CORE, during OJT, and during Post-CORE shadowing.

How is a mentor selected? A mentor is assigned to each new specialist at the beginning of employment, with the intent that the mentor-specialist relationship is ongoing. As it relates to CORE, the mentor’s role is to work with the supervisor to help support the specialist’s learning through certification. Prior to CORE, the specialist is assigned a mentor based on that Child Welfare specialists’ expected area of assignment (CPS, PP, or FC/A). If needed to complete all activities, more

Updated 10/1/2021 27

than one mentor may be assigned; however, it is encouraged to have the specialist shadow a single assigned mentor as much as possible. The supervisor selects the most appropriate mentor available, based on the skills of the mentor and the specific job duties to be assigned to the specialist upon graduation. Ideally, the mentor should be a specialist from within the same group. If there is no qualified specialist available, a mentor may be assigned from outside the Child Welfare specialists’ group. A supervisor may serve as a mentor only if the supervisor is able to fulfill all of the mentoring responsibilities.

What are the Qualifications Each Mentor Needs? The preference is that the mentor is a Certified

Mentor; however we recognize that if a Certified Mentor is not available in your office, the FM or DD may approve someone the supervisor identifies. This person must meet the following criteria: a mentor must be an experienced (one year or more) specialist staff member with unquestionable ethics and outstanding child welfare skills who can help the specialist to see the overall picture of the specialist’s program. The mentor must have a good grasp of both the intent and the spirit of Child Welfare policy and be able to articulate the philosophy and mission of Child Welfare in the daily work. The mentor must be well respected by other specialist staff and other children and family service professionals in the community.

What are the Mentor’s Responsibilities? The specialist will accompany the mentor on various work

assignments. The mentor will observe the specialist gathering and documenting information, as well as the Child Welfare specialists’ interactions with children, parents, court specialists, etc. The mentor(s) will also provide feedback of their observations of the specialist following those activities.

Please note: if you are using a mentor who is not yet certified, it is highly recommended they complete the CORE Module 3 Interviewing online training, as specialists are being introduced to foundational Motivational Interviewing skills and it is critical they are observing these skills in others.

SIMULATION

Simulation events are based on the new competencies and curriculum and offer specialists an

opportunity to safely practice their skills in a simulated environment. The progression begins

with the skills of engagement, progressing towards more in depth interviewing, and finally, to

the skills associated with assessing safety.

A standard rubric will provide consistent feedback to individual specialists. The rubric and

subsequent feedback will use behaviorally based anchors to focus on specific strengths as well

as areas for improvement. (The rubrics for each Module are included in the appendix of the OJT

Workbook (for specialists) and the OJT Guide (for supervisors).

Updated 10/1/2021 28

There are two simulation events prior to the final Simulation assessment in Module 6: Putting It

All Together. Engagement is a virtual simulation, which occurs in Module 2 and interviewing,

which occurs at the end of Module 3.

Based on the assessment findings, specialists and their supervisors will create Coaching Plans

that identify the areas of strength and the areas where more support and practice is required.

Specialists will then work directly with their supervisors on OJT assignments to practice the

skills where more support is needed.

The following provides an overview of the key tasks and evaluation activities for CORE. Each

item is completed by the Child Welfare Specialist prior to Provisional Certification.

Module # Activity Evaluation Simulation

Module 1 Various Role Plays, Peer Discussions, and Experiential Activities

Peer & Self Rating N/A

Module 2 Various Practice

Scenarios, Peer

Discussions, and

Experiential Activities;

Simulation

Rubric is included in back of the OJT Workbook for reference

Engagement Skills

Module 3 Various Practice Scenarios, Peer Discussions and Experiential Activities; Simulation

Rubric w/ Rating & Feedback

Interviewing Skills

Module 4 Various Role Plays, Peer Discussions, and Experiential Activities

Peer & Self Rating N/A

Module 5 Practice Testifying

Peer and Facilitator Mock Court

Module 6 SIMULATION Rubric w/ Rating & Feedback

Final comprehensive- Provisional Certification

Updated 10/1/2021 29

MODULE 1: PREPARING FOR CHILD WELFARE

WORK

In Module 1, specialists are introduced to the following: Child Welfare and the federal and state regulations that drive child welfare policy and practice; the outcomes of Safety, Permanency, and Well-being; the population served by Child Welfare Services in Oklahoma; child development and trauma and the impact trauma has on children, youth, and families; and finally, specialists will learn about cultural humility and the impact of biases on decision making.

Child Welfare specialists will learn how all Child Welfare programs work together as one large team and that safety, permanency, and well-being are the responsibility of all child welfare specialists. Specialists will begin to connect the DHS Quality Standards and the Child Welfare Practice Standards to daily practice.

Module 1 has 4 Sessions

Module Training Time

Sessions 1 and 2 of Module 1 occur online, while Sessions 3 and 4 take place in the

classroom. The Online sessions take approximately 1.5-2 hours to complete. Sessions 3

and 4 will consist of a total of 3 days in the classroom.

Updated 10/1/2021 30

MODULE 1 LEARNING OBJECTIVES Session # Module 1 Learning Objectives

Session 1 Upon completion of this session, you will be able to:

Identify five federal and state laws/initiatives that affect CW practice in Oklahoma.

Define the terms Physical Abuse, Neglect and Sexual Abuse as they relate to Oklahoma laws and policies and explain why this is important to know.

Discuss the importance of the Quality Standards to you as a DHS professional.

Locate and discuss the importance of the Child Welfare Practice Standards to your role as a Child Welfare specialist.

Review the Practice Model and connect its importance to Oklahoma Child Welfare Services.

Relate the common mission of all Child Welfare Services in the United States.

Define the terms Safety, Permanency and Well-being.

Describe five roles of specialists, including how each role plays a part in the work of Child Welfare Services.


Describe the Oklahoma population that you serve.

Discuss disproportionality and its effect on children and families.

Define trauma and identify traumatic experiences you may encounter with children and families.

Explain the importance of the ACES study.

Recognize the importance of historical trauma in Oklahoma children and families.

Summarize the relationship of re-traumatization and system-induced trauma to child welfare.

Describe how you as a Child Welfare specialist can practice in a way that reduces trauma.

Describe how culture influences our work with children and families.

Assess your own culture and biases.

Identify 3 factors that influence cultural humility.


Describe why child safety is the responsibility of every specialist who is assigned to a case family during each interaction with the child/youth and family throughout their involvement with Child Welfare Services.

Demonstrate active listening.

Describe the importance of listening and clear communication to the engagement process.

Connect the Child Welfare Practice Standards and Behaviors to your role as a specialist.

Examine your personal values and bias.

Demonstrate introducing yourself to a parent PRFC and describing your role.

Discuss the value of providing a description of your role in every professional interaction.

Updated 10/1/2021 31

Session #

Module 1 Learning Objectives


Identify how your own background and personal identity informs beliefs, feelings, actions and relationships with others.

Explore how your own cultural identity can influence your judgement and decisions as a child welfare specialist.

Demonstrate capacity and willingness to engage in self-assessment activities that enhance cultural humility, work relationships, and professional knowledge and skills.

Discuss the importance of continual self-assessment, self-awareness, and enhancement of skills required for cultural and linguistic competence.

Relate the Child Welfare Practice Standards to cultural competency and cultural humility.

Demonstrate an understanding of the concept of cultural humility.

Explain the impact of institutional bias, discrimination, oppression and culturally insensitive practices on services to families and children.

Relate how to serve families from diverse backgrounds in the context of their own values, beliefs, traditions, and communities.

Apply the mindset and basic behaviors of cultural humility to your practice as a Child Welfare specialist.

Updated 10/1/2021 32

MODULE 2: ENGAGING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

In Module 2, specialists will learn the importance of engaging children, youth, and families and

will understand that engagement is a foundational skill to all other Child Welfare work.

Specialists are introduced to the Protective Capacities and Safety Model, in addition to child

development, trauma, attachment, and the role grief and loss have on development.

Since Engagement is a critical foundational skill, a practice experience is included at the end of

Module 2. The specialist will be assigned to work with a PFR from the Training Unit to practice

their engagement skills, using the rubric included in the appendix of the OJT Workbook and

Guide (supervisor version).

Module 2 has 5 sessions


Sessions 1-3 occur online while Sessions 4 and 5 take place in the virtual classroom. The

Online sessions take approximately 3.5-4 hours to complete. Sessions 4 and 5 will consist

of a total of 2 classroom days, plus one partial day of virtual simulation.

A virtual simulation interview, focusing on engagement skills, is the final component for

Module 2. Specialists will be provided with a case scenario to prepare for their interview,

and will have 10 minutes to interview a child and 10 minutes to interview an adult.

Following each interview, the specialist will receive a few minutes of feedback from the

actor. These interviews will be made available for review by the specialist and their

supervisor via Learning Space with the goal of identifying strengths and areas to develop

further. For more details on Simulation, please review pages 27-28 in this guide, in addition

to, the OJT Workbook and Guide.

Updated 10/1/2021 33

MODULE 2 LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Session # Module 2 Learning Objectives


Define Protective Capacities, per Oklahoma Child Welfare Services.

Identify three observable and positive factors within a family environment.


Define the concept of engagement and discuss why it matters in assessment of safety, permanency, and well-being.

Identify at least four skills essential in engagement.

Describe the roles of engagement and listening skills in assessing pertinent areas of a family’s life and in determining the overall well-being and safety of the children in the home.

Determine the effects of unmet underlying needs on behavior and resistance.


Identify cognitive, emotional, social, and physical stages of child development.

Identify possible areas of developmental delay.

Demonstrate an understanding of trauma, attachment, grief, and loss, and its impact on development.


Discuss the relationship between attachment and development.

Discern the affect that attachment has on the safety, permanency, and well-being of children and families.

Evaluate signs of grief that affect attachment

in children, youth, and families.

Explain the importance of knowledge of child development to your own role as a Child Welfare Specialist.

Identify possible developmental discrepancies in a child or youth.

List options to help children with grief.


Demonstrate initial engagement skills during a home visit.

Observe family strengths and potential safety threats in the home environment.

Identify Think/Feel/Do evidence that meets the definition of Protective Capacities.

Determine what meets the definition of a Safety Threat/Impending Danger.

Discuss the purpose and importance of self-care in Child Welfare.

Develop a self-care plan with healthy coping strategies.

Updated 10/1/2021 34

MODULE 3: INTERVIEWING FOR SAFETY,

PERMANENCY, AND WELL-BEING

In Module 3, specialists begin to learn the importance of interviewing while maintaining

engagement skills. Specialists are introduced to the “spirit” of Motivational Interviewing,

specifically the skills known as OARS- Open ended questions, Affirmation, Reflection, and

Summarization.

Module 3 has 5 sessions.


Session 1 is online and Sessions 2-4 take place in the classroom, while Session 5 is an Engagement

Simulation.

Online training for Module 3 will take approximately 1.5-2 hours. As interviewing is such a critical

skill for all specialists to have, there are 5 classroom days (including the Simulation event) dedicated

to practicing these skills.

For details about Simulation, please review the SIMULATION section located on pages 27-28.

Day 1 – Practicing OARS Day 2 – Interviewing Children Day 3 – Interviewing Adults Day 4 – De-escalation & Safety Day 5 (Partial Day) – Simulation Experience & Group Debrief

Simulation Times will be scheduled and assigned. Timelines for simulated interviews is:

10 minutes to review the scenario and prepare for the interview

15 minutes to conduct each interview

2-3 minutes of feedback from the actor

There is a formal, group, debriefing session that occurs at the end of the day.

While a formal, group, debrief will occur, specialists are expected to review their interview via

Learning Space and to annotate (take notes on the video) themselves. Watching oneself is an

excellent opportunity to identify skills that are evident, in addition to capturing skills to continue to

grow. Supervisors are also expected to review their specialist’s video and to discuss strengths and

opportunities with their specialist as part of OJT for Module 3. Trainers will also provide annotations

on the videos noting what they have identified as strengths and opportunities for ongoing

development.

Updated 10/1/2021 35




Identify the type of questions necessary to engage a family member.

Discuss the core conditions necessary for helping others.

Define the verbal and nonverbal skills necessary for interviewing children and families.

Define the components of OARS.

Explore DHS Child Welfare policy that governs meeting the child and family for the first time.


Demonstrate open questions, affirmations, reflections and summarizations to

establish and maintain engagement throughout the working relationship.

Discuss the impact of question phrasing, use of silence, and tone on an

interviewing relationship.

Describe the spirit of Motivational Interviewing, including its importance in the

interviewing process.

Connect the spirit of Motivational Interviewing to the Child Welfare Practice

Standards.

Demonstrate the skill of evoking in a practice interview.

Relate the importance of evoking strengths when interviewing a family

member.

Prepare for an interview according to Child Welfare policy.

Craft questions designed to identify protective capacities and safety risks. Session 3 Upon completion of this session, you will be able to:

Prepare for a child interview and introduce yourself in a way that is consistent with OHS/CWS policy.

Demonstrate interviewing skills (verbal and nonverbal) appropriate to the developmental age of the child.

Discern the difference between chronological age and developmental age and the importance of this to a child interview.

Identify responses to overcome common challenges of interviewing children.

Discuss the effect of cultural differences on interviewing children.

Relate considerations for interviewing a child with intellectual disabilities.

Discuss what child resilience means to your practice of child welfare.

Updated 10/1/2021 36

Session #



Create a development plan for your interviewing skills.

Recognize and address various forms of ambivalence.

Plan to manage your emotions when encountering ambivalence.

Demonstrate strategies to elicit change talk.

Recognize and respond to discord.

Demonstrate interview skills necessary to assess safety, permanency and well-

being.


Connect ACES with violent behavior and escalation in families.

Apply basic de-escalation techniques with a family member.

Describe the importance of collaboration with the family.

Plan the actions you can take to enhance your physical and emotional safety in compliance with Child Welfare policy.

Identify potential environmental safety risks/threats in a home environment.

Identify environmental factors that may indicate a meth lab or other drug manufacturing/selling is occurring in the home.

Describe behaviors that indicate substance use or abuse.

MODULE 4: ASSESSMENT, CASE PLANNING, AND

DECISION MAKING

In Module 4 specialists begin to delve deeper into programs. The specialist will go on a

“journey” through various Child Welfare Services, beginning with a call to the Hotline and

ending with Foster Care and Adoptions.

Specialists are introduced to the Family Meeting Continuum. An emphasis on the importance

of all specialists working together for the children, youth, and families of Oklahoma is revisited.

Time is dedicated to specialists connecting what they have learned thus far.

Updated 10/1/2021 37

Module 4 has 7 sessions.


Sessions 1-5 take place online while sessions 6 and 7 occur in the classroom.

Module 4 consists of approximately 10-12 hours of online training and is broken into 3

parts: Assessment, Case Planning, and Decision Making, and 3 days of classroom training.

Specialists will spend the classroom days walking through a case, and engaging,

interviewing, assessing, case planning, and making decisions based on what information

they learned along the way.




Identify the types of meetings that are within the Family Meeting Continuum

Identify the various roles and responsibilities involved in the various meetings.

Discuss the considerations for successful family meetings.

Locate policy related to the various meeting types.

Relate the various meeting to Child Welfare Practice Standards.

Connect how the meetings impact a child’s safety, permanency, and well-being


Identify the role of the Abuse and Neglect Hotline in the assessment of child safety, permanency and well-being.

Describe the process of a referral through the Abuse and Neglect Hotline.

Identify the 4 criteria that must be present for a referral to be accepted.

Distinguish between information that results in a referral being accepted and a referral being screened out.

Review policy regarding investigation and assessment protocol.

Contrast a CPS assessment with an investigation.

Updated 10/1/2021 38



Identify how CPS Assessments and investigations are assigned from the Abuse & Neglect Hotline and discern the meaning of the assigned response priority status.

Explain the reason for the CPS Assessment option.

Outline your role in starting, executing, evaluating, and completing a child protection investigation.

Discuss the environmental, nonverbal, and questioning considerations when interviewing children.

Identify the 6 key areas that are used in the Assessment of Child Safety (AOCS).

Formulate questions around the six key areas to engage with a family in telling their story.

Discuss other common elements of the family’s story you will consider when you are evaluating safety.

Describe the difference between a safety plan and an Individualized Service Plan.

Define assessment as an ongoing process.


Articulate how Family Centered Services (FCS) supports safety, permanency and well-being.

Discuss the role and responsibilities of a Family Centered Services specialist.

Describe the indicators that determine whether a family may be eligible for FCS.

Articulate how Family Centered Services supports safety, permanency and well-being.

Locate applicable policies related to family centered services.


Identify the role of Permanency Planning (PP) in providing safety, permanency and well-being for children.

Relate the importance of the Individualized Service Plan in providing safety, permanency and well-being for children.

Connect the Child Welfare Practice Standards with the importance of letting Person(s) Responsible For Child (PRFC) know their rights.

Explain the reason for the “First Placement, Best Placement” approach.

Describe practices that lead to placement stability.

Define concurrent planning.

Identify what a SMART goal is.

Locate the criteria for reunification.

Describe the purpose and the benefit of Oklahoma Successful Adulthood.

Discuss what is meant by the term “quality parental visitation”.

Updated 10/1/2021 39

Session #



Assess the role of the resource family in safety, permanency, and well-being.

Define the three types of resource families.

State the connection between resource family support and placement stability.

Define the Reasonable and Prudent Parent Standard.

Identify common issues faced by children who are adopted and relate the issues to the role of the Foster Care/Adoption specialist.


Plan to engage with a family after receiving a referral.

Interview family members to determine safety, permanence and well-being.

Apply critical thinking at all stages of the planning, engagement, interviewing, and assessing stages.

Identify a family’s protective capacities and safety risks.

Analyze and articulate whether a safety risk crosses the safety threshold.


Interview a PRFC to discover root causes of behavior.

Partner with the PRFC to discover and overcome ambivalence.

Work with the family to adjust goals as new information unfolds.

Support the family in behavior change in a culturally informed way.

Examine the effects of your own biases when planning and adjusting with a family.

MODULE 5: CHILD WELFARE AND THE LEGAL

SYSTEM

In Module 5, specialists are introduced to the legal system and Child Welfare. Module 5 helps

specialists understand the various hearing types and requirements for court (i.e. different

hearing types and the correlating reports, court expectations, court etiquette, etc.). Module 5

culminates with the specialists spending a half day in Mock Court, simulating two-three

different hearing types: the Emergency Custody hearing, the Adjudicatory hearing and the

Dispositional Hearing.

Updated 10/1/2021 40

Module 5 has 11 sessions

Module Training Time: 10-12 hours

Sessions 1-10 occur online and session 11 is Mock Court. Module 5 online training is

required prior to attending the 1 day Mock Court session.

Specialists are provided with a Module 5 Workbook at the end of their Module 4 classroom

training. They will need to review the workbook, as it contains case related information

necessary to prepare for Mock Court.



Session 1 Referrals & Investigations

Upon completion of this session, you will be able to:

Identify who is required by law to report suspected child abuse or neglect (CA/N).

State how reports of suspected CA/N are made.

Describe the difference between an assessment and an investigation, and list the three types of reports for which a DHS investigation is mandatory.

Define PRFC.

State the legal authority DHS has when conducting an assessment or investigation.

List situations when DHS may require a court order in an investigation.

State DHS’ responsibilities if a judge makes a report to DHS of suspected CA/N as discovered during a court proceeding.

Session 2 Assuming Custody


State the circumstances required for a child to enter DHS custody.

State how a pick-up order should be executed.

Identify the differences between protective and emergency custody.

Discuss jurisdiction for children in DHS custody, including orders for medical and behavioral health.

Session 3 Emergency Custody Hearing


State the time frame required for an emergency custody hearing.

Recognize the 10 critical findings or orders that are made in an emergency custody hearing.

Distinguish between who orders custody at the emergency custody hearing and who determines the child’s placement.

State the duration of a pre-adjudicatory custody order.

Updated 10/1/2021 41


Session 4 Petition and Adjudicatory Hearing


State the time frame required for a deprived child petition to be filed.

Explain actions the District Attorney must take when a petition is not filed and the resulting effect on the child’s custody.

State the time frame required for an adjudicatory hearing.

Explain the purpose of an adjudicatory hearing.

State the possible custody orders of children per the results of the adjudicatory hearing.

Session 5 ISP and Dispositional Hearing


State the time frames required for ISPs and dispositional hearings.

Explain what an ISP is.

State the time frame a parent is allowed to substantially correct the conditions that led to the removal of the child.

State the purpose of the dispositional hearing and the Child Welfare specialist’s role in the hearing.

List possible placement options if the child is placed into or continues in DHS custody.

Define “concurrent permanency planning”.

Session 6 Issues for All Hearings


State how paternity is established during a deprived child case.

Discuss child support orders that may be made during a case.

List circumstances under which reasonable efforts to reunify children with their parents may not be required.

Identify how much time parents may be given to correct the conditions that led to their child’s removal from their custody.

Explain how an objection may be made to an order releasing a child from DHS custody.

Session 7 Review Hearing


State the purpose, time frames, and findings for review hearings.

Describe reports that must be submitted to the court for review hearings.

State the Child Welfare specialist’s role and responsibilities regarding review hearings.

Define “court reunification” and state how long they last.

Session 8 Permanency Hearing


Discuss DHS’ responsibilities in permanency and permanent guardianship proceedings.

State the purpose, time frames, and findings for permanency hearings.

List custody orders that may be made in permanency hearings.

Define “permanent guardianship” and discuss rights and responsibilities of the child’s parents under this permanency plan.

Define “planned alternative permanency placement” and identify who may be eligible for this type of permanency plan.

Updated 10/1/2021 42

Session #


Session 9 Termination of Parental Rights


Discuss various grounds for the court to terminate parental rights.

State circumstances for which the District Attorney (D.A.) is required to file for Termination of Parental Rights (TPR).

Session 10 Placement Changes


State the time frame for which notice of placement change of a child must be given.

Discuss emergency situations for which an advanced notice of placement change is not required.

Identify the rights of placement providers regarding a child’s change in placement.

Identify the three entities who must be notified when a child is reported missing from a placement and time frames for when DHS must notify them.

KIDS

The KIDS Module is designed to allow specialists to begin learning KIDS during pre-CORE and

allows them to work on the different sessions over time. This Module consists of 7 online

sessions, and will take approximately 8 hours to complete in full.

KIDS training allows specialists to move through the sessions at their own pace and offers a

video demonstration of the various steps required to complete a certain task. This training also

provides a video demonstration that specialists can watch to help them understand the steps

necessary to complete certain tasks. The videos are not required to be viewed in order to

complete the session; they are simply an additional learning support for those who are visual

learners.

KIDS training will have opportunities called “sand boxes” whereby specialists will participate

virtually from their office, connecting to the Training Center where they practice their skills in

the KIDS Train database. Sandboxes allow for the specialist to ask any questions of the trainer

about KIDS and/or to ask for additional help if struggling with any particular steps or tasks.

Sand box days will be scheduled in advance and those dates and times will be provided to the

specialists and supervisors in order for the specialist to sign up in advance. The KIDS

Assessment will occur as part of the specialist’s Module 6.

Updated 10/1/2021 43

KIDS LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Session # KIDS Learning Objectives

Session 1 Introduction to KIDS


Describe the purpose of the KIDS system and the types of processes

documented in KIDS.

Identify the main KIDS toolbar categories.

Navigate KIDS using buttons, sub-menus, and picklists.

Session 2 Referrals


Enter household and reporter information.

Enter and change demographics.

Complete the Narrative Screen.

Entering Abuse and Neglect Allegations.

Assign and Transfer a referral.

Session 3: Searches


Start a Search.

Apply Search filters to focus a search.

Research Search Results.

Document Search Results to the Referral.

Navigate the Search screen features.

Connect records in KIDS on the Case Connect screen.

Session 4 Investigations


Enter/Document Interviews.

Document the AOCS and ongoing AOCS.

Enter Findings.

Complete Report to D.A.

Session 5 Documentation


Enter Client Information using the Client sub-menu.

Access and add Connections for a child.

Enter Contacts.

Enter a Child Behavioral Health Screen (CBHS).

Use the File Cabinet.

Session 6 Placement


Enter a Removal.

Enter a Placement.

Enter a Placement Change.

Locate Historical Placements and Removals.

Enter a Pre-Resource.

Updated 10/1/2021 44

Session #

KIDS Learning Objectives

Session 7 Permanency


Locate the Enter information into the Case Plan.

Enter the Independent Service Plan (ISP) for both the PRFC and Child.

Find the Court Case Number.

Locate Status information regarding Court.

Locate Court Hearing Information.

Enter the Dispositional Report.

Enter the Progress Report.

Locate and Utilize the Parental Rights icon.

MODULE 6: PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

Module 6: Putting It All Together is the final Module for CORE. Prior to attending Module 6, all

OJT requirements must be complete, submitted to the Training Unit, and validated by the CORE

Coordinator(s).

Putting It All Together is the “final” assessment of the specialist and will combine the skills of

engagement, interviewing, and assessment. A Child Interview and Adult Interview, along with

the Assessment of Child Safety (AOCS), and the KIDS Assessment will be completed during this

Module. Based on the evaluation of the specialist’s interviews, the specialist will either move

on immediately to their Post CORE Required Levels courses, or they will return to their office to

continue practicing their skills. Specialists returning to their office will be in the office for a

minimum of two weeks up to thirty days, based on the supervisor’s availability to observe the

specialist and how the specialist is developing and/ or improving. For more specific information

on the Certification Process, please review the Certification section.

The child and adult interviews are program specific interviews and are based on the specialist’s

primary role within Child Welfare. Each interview is allotted 55 total minutes – 10 minutes to

prepare for the interview, 35 minutes to interview, and 10 minutes for feedback from the

Standardized Participant (actor), and assessor (Program Field Rep/Trainer).

Adoptions specialists: will interview a child in a trial adoptive home and an adult that is

interested in adopting.

Child Protective Services specialists: will interview a child involved in a referral and an adult

that is the PRFC/alleged perpetrator in the same referral.

Updated 10/1/2021 45

Family Centered Services specialists: will interview a child involved in an FCS case that is placed

in an out of home safety plan and an adult that is the PRFC/ alleged perpetrator in the same FCS

case.

Foster Care specialists: will interview the biological child of a family that is interested in

fostering or the biological child of a foster family involved in a reassessment and an adult that is

interested in fostering.

Hotline specialists: will interview a child involved in a referral and an adult that is making a

referral.

Permanency Planning specialists: will interview a child involved in a permanency planning case

that is placed in out of home care and an adult that is the PRFC/ alleged perpetrator in the

same permanency planning case.

Comprehensive specialists: will be assessed on the program designated by their supervisor.

During the Assessment of Child Safety (AOCS) portion of the assessment, the specialist is

provided with an Assessment of Child Safety form in which the 6 key questions have been

completed. The specialist reads the six key questions and determines the safety threat, which

includes articulating the unsafe behavior beneath the safety threat (#1-9) chosen, whether the

child(ren) is safe or unsafe, and which PRFC(s) the safety threat applies to. Specialists are

provided a time frame of 60 minutes to read and complete the Assessment of Child Safety.

During the KIDS assessment portion of the assessment, specialists are required to complete a

Navigation Exercise in KIDS Train, locating information for 10 items in a referral and 10 items in

a KK case. Specialists are provided a time frame of 40 minutes to navigate and complete the

KIDS assessment.

Findings for the AOCS assessment and the KIDS assessment are Meets Standards or Needs

Improvement. Feedback for the AOCS will be provided on the evaluation form; however, skills

needed for the AOCS and KIDS can be further developed in the field. Safety can be better

evaluated through their interviewing and critical thinking while consulting on cases.

Ready assessment on the Child Interview AND the Adult Interview

The assessment findings for the child and adult interviews in Module 6 are: Ready or Not Yet

Ready. Not all specialists will be field “ready” after CORE and some may require additional

support and time to develop their skills. This is a normal part of development with any new

skill. The language helps to reflect and normalize the varying skill levels people have and the

need for practice and development.

An assessment finding of Ready results in the specialist immediately moving on to Post CORE

Required Levels courses which include:

CW 1005: Specialized CPS

Updated 10/1/2021 46

CW 1020: Family Centered Services for CPS (Effective with CORE 430, prior to CORE 430,

this course is referred to as 1004: Family Centered Services).

CW 1006: Permanency Planning

CW 1115: Child Safety Meetings

Once the specialist has completed the Post Core Required courses, they will be Provisionally

Certified and move on to Phase 2 of Certification. For detailed instructions on Phases 2 and 3,

please see CERTIFICATION.

Please note: the supervisor and specialist are still expected to develop a coaching plan

focusing on what skills the specialist needs to continue to develop during Phase 2. This

coaching plan will be part of the documentation due with Phase 2.

Not Yet Ready assessment on Child Interview OR Adult Interview

An assessment finding of Not Yet Ready requires the specialist return to their office. The

supervisor will need to work with the specialist to develop a coaching plan. Additionally, the

supervisor will need to observe the specialist complete the required number of live interviews,

resulting in the supervisor determining the specialist to be “Ready.”

Example: Jane specialist receives an assessment finding of Ready on her Child Interview and an

assessment finding of Not Yet Ready on the Adult Interview. The following would apply:

1. Complete a coaching plan, outlining what skills are being addressed/observed

2. Complete 3 Adult Interviews- between 2 weeks and 30 days

Please note: it is not permitted to complete all required interviews in one

day or in one week. The purpose of this additional time and additional

interviews is to allow the specialist to be coached by the supervisor and

develop their skills.

3. Complete Certification Document, signed by specialist, supervisor, and Field

Manager/ District Director

4. Provide all supporting documentation to the Training Unit

(If the specialist receives an assessment finding of Not Yet Ready on their Child interview and a

finding of Ready on the Adult interview, substitute the adult in the example with child

interviews.)

Once the documentation has been received and is approved, the coordinator will enroll the

specialist into the appropriate Post CORE Required Level Courses.

Updated 10/1/2021 47

Please Note:

The Not Yet Ready process is the same whether the child interview or adult interview is missed. The

process is only different if the specialist receives a Not Yet Ready on the child AND the adult

interviews

Not Yet Ready assessment on Child Interview AND Adult Interview

Example: John specialist receives an assessment finding of Not Yet Ready on both Child AND

Adult Interviews. The following would apply:

1. Complete a coaching plan, outlining what skills are being

addressed/observed for each interview

2. Complete 3 Adult Interviews

3. Complete 3 Child Interviews

While we understand the strong desire to help specialists move

through their CORE and Post CORE requirements in order to work

with families, the professional development of the specialist is

important. In order to ensure the specialist receives the coaching and

support needed, the coaching plan for a NYR on both adult and child

interviews should be completed in no less than 30 days.

4. Complete Certification Document, signed by specialist, supervisor, and Field

Manager/ District Director

5. Provide all supporting documentation to the Training Unit

Once the documentation has been received and is approved, the coordinator will enroll the

specialist into the appropriate Post CORE Required Level Courses.

Updated 10/1/2021 48

POST CORE REQUIRED LEVELS COURSES

The following Post CORE Levels courses will be taken upon receiving an assessment finding of

Ready.

Hotline and CPS specialists are enrolled in:

CW 1020: Family Centered Services for CPS (Effective beginning CORE 430)

CW 1005: Specialized CPS

CW 1115: Child Safety Meetings

FCS and Permanency Planning specialists are enrolled in:

CW 1006: Specialized PP

Comprehensive specialists will be enrolled in the track designated by their supervisor.

Once the specialist has completed all of their required Post CORE levels courses, they will be

Provisionally Certified and will be eligible to carry a caseload of 50%.

NOTE:

FC/Adoption specialists will take their Post CORE Required Levels during their Phase 2 (50%)

status. Their Post Required Levels consist of: 1007, 1017 (when made available) and 1115,

in addition to the other required courses to be completed during the 50% caseload, which

include: 1009 and 1024.

Updated 10/1/2021 49

CERTIFICATION

PHASE 1 Provisional Certification and caseload assignment of 50% marks the end of Phase 1 and the

start of Phase 2. Phase 2 requirements have been reduced in an effort to recognize that

supervisors are required to complete routine Field Observations in addition to the additional

time spent on engagement and interviewing in CORE. The requirements are outlined below:

Please Note:

All interviews are required to be “live” interviews and can only be observed by a supervisor, another supervisor in the office, or a Field Manager/ District Director. As of July 1, 2021, CWS IIIs are allowed to observe and sign off on 3 of the 9 observations for Phase 2, and 2 of the 7 observations for Phase 3.

Mock Interviews will not be accepted as part of certification.

Supervisors who observe and assess must have completed CW 4444 after May 1st, 2015 or

previously graded for Hands on Testing (after January 1st, 2015), to ensure capability to utilize

the assessment forms.

For supervisors who did not complete CW 4444 or grade for HOT, please contact

the Training Unit to be enrolled in the CW 3444 (replacement for CW 4444).

For supervisors who were certified as Mentors prior to their promotion, and

completed CW 3444 as a part of the Mentor Certification process, do not have to

repeat CW 3444.

PHASE 2 (after Provisional Certification):

Month 1: supervisor will observe the specialist complete 1 adult interview, 1 child interview

and 1 interview of choice (adult or child, depending on where the most skill development is

needed); assessment sheets should be completed for each interview. The supervisor will

observe the interview, provide feedback and coaching after each interview and document on the

assessment tool.


and 1 interview of choice (adult or child, depending on where the most skill development is

needed); assessment sheets should be completed for each interview. The supervisor will

Updated 10/1/2021 50

observe the interview, provide feedback and coaching after each interview and document on the

assessment tool.


and 1 interview of choice (either adult or child). The specialist must receive an assessment

finding of Meets Standards or Needs Improvement on all 3 interviews and submit the following

documents to the Training Unit:

Copy of the Coaching Plan

Assessment sheets completed and signed by the assessor for each interview assessed

for the evaluation of the child interviews and the adult interviews (total of at least 9

assessment sheets- 3 adult observations, 3 child observations, and 3 “choice” interviews)

Certification Document completed and signed by the specialist, supervisor, and Field

Manager/ District Director.

specialist and supervisor should complete all surveys

It is strongly recommended that both the specialist and the supervisor maintain copies

of all documents submitted

A 2nd attempt is allowed for any interview receiving an assessment finding of Does Not Meet.

*see guidance below regarding what occurs when a specialist is not able to complete Month 3

of Phase 2.

PHASE 3: *Month 4 and 5 require one less interview per month, compared to Phase 2. Month 6 requires 3 interviews Month 4: supervisor will observe the specialist complete 1 adult interview and 1 child

interview. The supervisor will observe the interview, provide feedback and coaching after each

interview and document on the assessment tool.

Month 5: supervisor will observe the specialist complete 1 adult interview and 1 child

interview. The supervisor will observe the interview, provide feedback and coaching after each

interview and document on the assessment tool.

Month 6: supervisor will observe the specialist complete 1 adult interview, 1 child interview,

and 1 interview of choice (either adult or child). The specialist must receive an assessment

finding of Meets Standards or Needs Improvement on all 3 interviews and submit the following

documents to the Training Unit:

Copy of the Coaching Plan

Assessment sheets completed and signed by the assessor for each interview assessed

for the evaluation of the child interviews and the adult interviews (total of at least 7

assessment sheets- 3 adult observations, 3 child observations, and 1 “choice” interview)

Updated 10/1/2021 51

Certification Document completed and signed by the specialist, supervisor, and Field

Manager/ District Director.

specialist and supervisor should complete all surveys

It is strongly recommended that both the specialist and the supervisor maintain copies

of all documents submitted

*see guidance below regarding what occurs when a specialist is not able to complete Month 6.

*If a specialist is unable to complete the observations within the 90 days provided, the

supervisor will need to communicate to the Certification Coordinator, informing them of the

new proposed completion date.

If the supervisor needs additional supports, the Certification Coordinator will inform the Training

Unit in an effort to connect someone to the supervisor to answer any questions or provide

support as determined.

SAMPLE COACHING PLANS

Coaching Plan Example for “Not Yet Ready” Ms. Jones has received “Not Yet Ready” on child interview:

On April 15, 2020, Guy Johnson met with Amanda Jones to review the “Not Yet Ready”

evaluation results on the child interview from CORE. Ms. Jones’ Coaching Plan (which includes,

coaching, assessing and the final evaluation) will last thirty (30) days and will focus on areas of

improvement when interviewing children with a focus on assessing safety. Ms. Jones’ Coaching

Plan is below:

During the next thirty days, Ms. Jones (specialist) will complete at a minimum, three child

interviews. Mr. Johnson (supervisor) will observe each interview and evaluate Ms. Jones using

the grading tools provided by the Training Unit.

Specific areas for improvement in the child interview are: building and maintaining

rapport, adequately addressing the allegations, and sufficiently exploring safety with

the child during each interview. Ms. Jones needs to ensure she uses follow up

questions throughout each interview and to use probing questions when discussing

discipline, parental substance abuse and domestic violence.

Mr. Johnson and Ms. Jones will meet weekly to explore any challenges or barriers Ms. Jones

may believe is impeding her learning. At the end of the 30 days Mr. Johnson will scan the

assessment sheets and send them to the child welfare training unit. Once Ms. Jones

successfully completes the required interviews, she will be enrolled in post-CORE level

trainings. If Ms. Jones is unsuccessful, she will not be provisionally certified and she will be

unable to carry a caseload. *Note*—the specialist must receive a “Meets Standards” or

Updated 10/1/2021 52

“Needs Improvement” (per the grade sheet requirements) on all three interviews to progress

forward. If the supervisor is unable to do the observation (for whatever reason—distance,

personnel reasons, needing a different perspective or has not attended CW 4444; a fellow

supervisor can grade as long as the Field Manager/District Director approves). This

information should be included in the Coaching Plan.

Coaching Plan Example #1 (Ready on both interviews)

Ms. Jones has successfully completed CORE and received a “Ready” finding on both adult and

child interviews during Module 6 assessment; she is now eligible to carry a 50% caseload.

On April 15, 2020, Guy Johnson met with Amanda Jones to review the evaluation results

received from CORE. Ms. Jones’ Coaching Plan will last ninety (90) days and will focus on areas

of improvement when interviewing children and adults with a focus on assessing safety. Ms.

Jones’ Coaching Plan is below:

During the next ninety days, Ms. Jones (specialist) will complete at a minimum, 3 adult

interviews, 3 child interviews, and 3 “choice” interviews (adult or child). Mr. Johnson

(supervisor) will observe each interview and evaluate Ms. Jones using the grading tools

provided by the Training Unit. Specific areas for improvement in the adult interview are:

exploring safety in substance abuse, domestic violence, behavioral health, and day-to-day

parenting during each interview.

Specific areas for improvement in the child interview are: building rapport

throughout the interview, clearly defining what “safe” means to the child, and

addressing all the allegations with the child.

Ms. Jones needs to ensure she uses follow up questions throughout each interview and to use

probing questions when discussing discipline, parental substance abuse and domestic violence.

Mr. Johnson and Ms. Jones will meet weekly to discuss any challenges or barriers Ms. Jones

may believe is impeding her learning. During her final evaluation by Mr. Johnson (during the

final month), Ms. Jones must successfully complete 1 adult interview, 1 child interview and 1

“choice” interview. Successful completion is indicated by a finding of “Meets Standards” or

“Needs Improvement.” At the end of the evaluation, Mr. Johnson will scan the grading sheets

and send them to the child welfare training unit. Once Ms. Jones has successfully completes the

required interviews, she will be granted a 50% caseload and proceed to the beginning of Phase

3. If Ms. Jones is unsuccessful, she will not be certified and a new modified coaching plan will

be developed.

Updated 10/1/2021 53

Coaching Plan Example #2 (Phase 2)

Ms. Jones has been unable to successfully complete the required interviews during her first 90

day evaluation and has not moved to 75% caseload.

On April 15, 2020, Guy Johnson met with Amanda Jones to review the evaluation results on the

adult interviews conducted during the first Evaluation #1. Ms. Jones’ Coaching Plan will last

thirty (30) days and will focus on areas of improvement when interviewing adults with a focus

on assessing safety. Ms. Jones’ Coaching Plan is below:

During the next thirty days, Ms. Jones (specialist) will complete at a minimum, 3 adult

interviews. Mr. Johnson (supervisor) will observe each interview and evaluate Ms. Jones using

the grading tools provided by the Training Unit.

Specific areas for improvement in the adult interview are: exploring safety in

substance abuse and domestic violence during each interview. Ms. Jones needs to

ensure she uses follow up questions throughout each interview and to use probing

questions when discussing discipline, parental substance abuse and domestic

violence.

Mr. Johnson and Ms. Jones will meet weekly to explore any challenges or barriers Ms. Jones

may believe is impeding her learning. During her final evaluation by Mr. Johnson, Ms. Jones

must successfully complete 3 interviews. At the end of the 30 days Mr. Johnson will scan the

grading sheets and send them to the child welfare training unit. If Ms. Jones has successfully

completed the 3 interviews, she will be granted a 75% caseload and proceed to the beginning

of Phase 3. If Ms. Jones is unsuccessful, she will not be certified and she will be unable to carry

a 75% caseload.

Coaching Plan Example #3 (Phase 3)

Ms. Jones has successfully completed CORE and was successful in her Phase 2 Evaluation; she

now has a 75% caseload.

On April 15, 2020, Guy Johnson met with Amanda Jones to review the evaluation results

received from her evaluation of Phase 2; Ms. Jones was able to successfully complete all

required interviews for children and adults. Ms. Jones now moves to Phase 3 to become fully

certified. Ms. Jones’ Coaching Plan will last ninety (90) days and will focus on areas of

improvement when interviewing children and adults with a focus on assessing safety. Ms.

Jones’ Coaching Plan is below:

During the next ninety days, Ms. Jones (specialist) will complete at a minimum, 3 adult

interviews, 3 child interviews, and 1 “choice” interview (adult or child). Mr. Johnson

Updated 10/1/2021 54

(supervisor) will observe each interview and evaluate Ms. Jones using the grading tools

provided by the Training Unit.

Specific areas for improvement in the adult interview are: exploring safety in

substance abuse, domestic violence during each interview.

Specific areas for improvement in the child interview are: building rapport

throughout the interview, and addressing all the allegations with the child.

Ms. Jones needs to ensure she uses follow up questions throughout each interview and to use

probing questions when discussing discipline, parental substance abuse and domestic violence.

Mr. Johnson and Ms. Jones will meet weekly to discuss any challenges or barriers Ms. Jones

may believe is impeding her learning. During her final evaluation by Mr. Johnson (during the

final month), Ms. Jones must successfully complete 1 child interview, 1 adult interview, and 1

“choice” interview (adult or child). Successful completion is indicated by a finding of “Meets

Standards” or “Needs Improvement.” At the end of the evaluation, Mr. Johnson will scan the

grading sheets and send them to the child welfare training unit. If Ms. Jones has successfully

completed the required interviews for each component, she will be granted a 100% caseload

and will be fully certified as a Child Welfare specialist. If Ms. Jones is unsuccessful, she will not

be certified.

REINSTATEMENTS

All reinstated employees, regardless of how long they were gone from the agency shall be assessed by their supervisor to determine what training is needed prior to obtaining a caseload. Based on the length of the separation and the employee’s behaviors and performances, the District Director/Field Manager can approve a reinstated employee be exempted from CORE.

There are two types of Training Exceptions that may be requested by the supervisor.

Training Exception Types

Training Exception #1- Reinstated Employee returning to work within the same program/track as previously worked.

Training Exception #2- Reinstated Employee returning to work in a different program/track than previously worked.

Training Exception #2b- Newly hired employees with Out of State Child Welfare experience who have never been employed as an OKDHS Child Welfare Specialist.

Updated 10/1/2021 55

Reinstated Employee by Definition

For training purposes, reinstated employees are defined as: employees previously employed with OKDHS CWS as Child Welfare Specialists. Reinstated employees fall into two categories:

1. Employees returning within the same program/track (prior CPS CWS, returning to work in CPS)

2. Employees returning into a different program/track (prior CPS CWS, returning to work in FCS)

Employees with out of state child welfare experience with no prior OKDHS CWS employment are not considered reinstated employees.

Required Steps to Request a Training Exception:

1. Locate the training website: cwtraining.oucpm.org

2. Download the appropriate Training Exception document.

3. Supervisors will need to discuss with their FM/DD their decision to request the exception.

4. For the request to be accepted, complete the form in full, including the Training Exception Narrative section. This is required or the training exception will not be accepted.

5. Submit the form to the appropriate party.

a. For Type 1 Reinstated employees, the form may be requested from KIDS in order to fully certify the specialist.

b. For Type 2 Reinstated/Out of State employees, the form must be submitted to the Child Welfare Training Unit at [email protected] in order for the specialist to be enrolled in the required courses. Once all requirements are met, the specialist will be provisionally certified. Following completion of Phase 3, specialists will be fully certified.


Updated 10/1/2021 56

What the Training Exception Allows

Training Exception #1- Reinstated Employees returning within the same

program/track Eligible for immediate 100% caseload and full certification (KIDS)

No CORE module requirements

No Provisional Certification Assessment requirements

No Post-CORE Required Levels requirements

No OJT activities are required

No Phase 2 or Phase 3 certification requirements

Supervisors have the discretion to request any of the above for specialists in this category.

Training Exception #2- Reinstated employees in a different program/track or newly

hired specialists with Out of State experience

Eligible for immediate 100% caseload

No CORE module requirements o Module 3 Interviewing is optional o Module 6 Provisional Assessment (AOCS, Interviewing of Child and Adult)

optional o KIDS online training optional o OJT Activities optional

Post CORE Required Levels is required

Supervisor observes a minimum of 1 adult interview and 1 child interview Training Exception form is required

Please note: Caseload assignment may be made prior to or following completion of Modules 3

and/or 6, if requested.

Specialists are expected to complete Modules 3 and/or 6 and any additional Post CORE required

levels within 60 days of their hire/rehire date.

Updated 10/1/2021 57

Considerations for Training Exception and Caseload Assignment

Prior to determining whether or not a training exception and/or a caseload assignment is

appropriate, Supervisors should consider the following:

Length of time the employee previously worked with OKDHS CWS

Length of time lapse since employee’s separation from OKDHS CWS

Employee’s experience within the track they are now assigned

Whether or not the employee was previously certified to be assigned a caseload

Recommendation of employee’s previous supervisor, if available

o If unavailable, a review of the employee’s previous work

Employee’s performance and behaviors during their prior employment period

Caseload assignment, including the percentage of a caseload, should be a joint decision

among the employee, supervisor, and reviewing supervisor (FM/DD).

If the decision is to assign a caseload to the specialist prior to the completion of any modules

and/or certification, the reviewing supervisor emails KIDS, using the appropriate form provided,

so that information may be entered into the employee’s KIDS training record. The deputy

director and assistant child welfare director are copied on the email.

PLEASE REMEMBER:

If a training exception is being requested for a reinstatement who will be working in a

different track and/or for someone with out of state child welfare work experience, the

training unit must receive the training exception form as well.

If you have any questions or need any assistance, please contact the training unit email at: [email protected]


core companion guide - cwtraining.oucpm.org

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